Intraocular lenses (IOLs) are used to treat cataracts. IOLs are surgically implanted in an eye by cutting the eye open and inserting the IOL. Typical IOLs include a small lens with side struts called haptics that hold the lens in place inside the eye.
IOL insertion, also known as lens replacement surgery, is a common ophthalmological procedure. It is frequently completed in less than 30 minutes, is performed with local anesthesia, and has a relatively short recovery time (approximately 2-3 weeks). But one major disadvantage associated with lens replacement surgery, and the conventional IOLs used, is that conventional IOLs are typically only focused for long distance sight. Because IOLs are somewhat more rigid than the eye's natural lens, patients who undergo standard IOL implantation largely lose their ability to accommodate (change the focal length of their eye(s) from near to far) because the ciliary muscle in the eye can no longer change the shape of the lens.